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Sunday, January 3, 2016

SOURCE: https://miningawareness.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/image50.jpgAMERICA'S MOST LIKELY FUKUSHIMA EVENTS WILL HAPPEN HERE. THESE FACILITIES, AS WELL AS OTHERS, LIE ON DANGEROUS FAULT LINES, YET THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT ANY PLANS IN CASE AN EARTHQUAKE AND/OR TSUNAMI STRIKES AND CAUSES A "FUKU-EVENT".

I remain concerned about the slow pace at which the NRC is implementing measures intended to protect American nuclear plants in the wake of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdowns that occurred in Japan in March 2011.

It has been more than four years since the Fukushima disaster, and Japan continues to face challenges in its cleanup efforts.

Only one of Japan’s 43 nuclear reactors has been turned back on since the Fukushima disaster. A recent analysis by Reuters found that of the other 42 operable nuclear reactors in Japan, only seven are likely to be turned on in the next few years. Reuters also found that “nine reactors are unlikely to ever restart and that the fate of the remaining 26 looks uncertain.”

For the last four years, I have been saying that in order to earn the confidence of the public, we must learn from the Fukushima disaster and do everything we can to avoid similar disasters here in the U.S.Following the last NRC oversight hearing in April, I met with Chairman Burns to discuss the commission’s progress on implementation of the Fukushima Near-Term Task Force recommendations.I am frustrated and disappointed with the overall slow pace. Not one of the 12 task force recommendations has been fully implemented. And many of the recommendations still have no timeline for action. I am also concerned with some of the decisions the NRC is making on whether to implement important safety enhancements. In particular, I am troubled that the Commission overruled staff safety recommendations and voted not to move forward with multiple safety improvements.

For example, by a 3 to 1 vote, the Commission decided to remove a requirement that nuclear plants have procedures in place for dealing with severe accidents, like the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. These procedures ensure plans are in place when multiple failures of safety equipment occur or other unanticipated events take place.

This requirement was identified in the aftermath of Fukushima, but after years of work on this and other proposals, the Commission simply chose not to move forward.That is unacceptable.

The Commission does not appear to be doing all it can to live up to the NRC’s mission “to ensure the safe use of radioactive materials for beneficial civilian purposes while protecting people and the environment.” We need to look no further than the two nuclear power plants in my home state.At California’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant, NRC has repeatedly declared the plant safe even after learning of a strong earthquake fault near the plant.At the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in San Diego County, which has been closed permanently, the NRC recently issued exemptions to emergency planning requirements. The plant’s operator will no longer be required to maintain detailed plans for the evacuation, sheltering, and medical treatment of people residing in the 10-mile zone around the plant. I am aware that the NRC is planning a rulemaking on decommissioning issues, but rubber stamping exemptions the way the Commission has is the wrong approach. I believe it is wrong to relax emergency planning requirements with thousands of tons of extremely radioactive spent fuel remaining at the site. The millions of people living in close proximity to the plant deserve better.The NRC owes it to the citizens of California and the nation to make safety the highest priority and I urge all the Commissioners to refocus your efforts to do just that.

FIVE (5) OTHER SENATORS TRIED TO SHAME THE NRC AND THE POWER PLANT OWNERS INTO APPLYING BETTER FILTERS, PROTECTING US ALL AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.THIS WAS IN 2013, AND NOT ONE FILTER IS IN PLACE, NOR IS IT LIKELY TO HAPPEN.THE OWNERS ARGUE IT COSTS TOO MUCH TO DO THIS.THE NRC SAYS, "THAT'S RIGHT. SO, DON'T COMPLY, WE WON'T MAKE YOU."

“In June 2015, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved elimination of off-site emergency planning for San Onofre, even though they know the waste is extremely dangerous. This means fewer emergency planning staff, reduced funding and less radiation monitoring. … The San Onofre fire staff has been reduced.The nuclear plant’s fire and rescue vehicles will be donated to new homes soon, according to Patrick Baughman, San Onofre fire marshal. San Onofre now has an agreement that makes the Camp Pendleton Fire Department the primary firefighting force for the nuclear plant.

No details were provided about how this may affect ratepayers and local emergency services in this Southern California Edison July 9, 2015…”

ALL THE SENATORS SHAMED THE NRC FOR BEING LAX, FOR HANDING OUT EXEMPTIONS LIKE CANDY :

"Southern California Edison and Entergy have recently requested exemptions from the emergency response regulations designed to protect the surrounding communities from the consequences that events such as wildfires, earthquakes or terrorist attacks could cause. The NRC has never once refused a request to terminate the emergency response measures designed to protect the safety of communities living near decommissioning reactors.

We trust the Commission will reverse this unwise policy, and insist on continued compliance with all safety and security precautions at shut down plants going forward."

TODAY, A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, THE NRC AND 'BIG NUKE' ARE STILL LAUGHING AT THAT ONE.

THEY HAVE NO PLANS TO SPEND MONEY ON ANYTHING.THEY NEED PROFITS, AND TO HELL WITH HUMAN LIVES!THESE PARTNERS IN CRIME HAVE IGNORED "DEMANDS", COMMON SENSE FIXES, ALL KINDS OF POSSIBLE (NATURAL) THREATS TO THESE MISERABLE FACILITIES AND THE WISHES OF CONGRESS SINCE THE 1980s.

I HOPE YOU CAN SEE BY THESE EXAMPLES THAT YOU ARE ALL ON YOUR OWN IN CASE OF DISASTER.FORMULATE YOUR OWN PLANS IN CASE OF DISASTER, THOSE WHO LIVE WITHIN 200 MILES OF THESE CRUMBLING LEAKERS, EXPECT NOT EVEN A NOTICE FROM THE FACILITY THAT EXPERIENCES A DISASTER.

CONGRESS WON'T TIGHTEN THE SCREWS ON THESE CRIMINALS, AND THE CRIMINALS ARE NOT GOING TO "REGULATE" ANYTHING BUT HIGHER PROFIT$$$$$$$$$$$$$.